


A Wild Shieldmaiden

by cynassa



Category: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-29
Updated: 2018-12-29
Packaged: 2019-09-29 22:03:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17211650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cynassa/pseuds/cynassa
Summary: Eowyn tells Faramir of Rohan's marriage customs.“Then I believe the blame is mine, lord.” She smiled in mischief, and looked fairer than ever to his eyes, “For I believed you knew about our customs, and it seems you do not.”Faramir looked on her with surprise, and was also surprised that he seemed to have clasped her hand in both of his despite deciding not to.“We must be married yonder, as I have said,” she pointed to the East wall, beyond where there was a great house, used now by those who had not yet healed, but wondrous fair with great carved wooden doors and fine paintings and tapestries hung everywhere. “And then you must carry me hither. It is a great blessing to make the whole walk with no rest.”





	A Wild Shieldmaiden

**Author's Note:**

  * For [athrabethh](https://archiveofourown.org/users/athrabethh/gifts).



They had won against the Enemy, but many people had been grievously hurt and many crops had failed in the rush to hide away, and so all who could be spared were doing all they might to shore up against the hard days to come. Lord Faramir, honoured guest though he was, was honoured all the more for putting his strength and wisdom to work in their aid. Not by word or look did he show any impatience that this work took him away from the lady he had come to see, as his help was sought elsewhere while Eowyn helped her brother. Eomer, and Eowyn with him, worked much and slept little as they sought to put aright everything that had gone wrong from the war and from years of neglect before it.

Faramir’s reward was in the few short hours after dinner each night when he might sit with Eowyn and talk, in the middle of the great hall but with all others looking away kindly from their soft laughter and the grasp of their hands under the table.

Unusually, Faramir had a faint frown on his face. Eowyn had heard rumours that he had had stern words with the captain in charge of their shipments of ale, but she had dismissed it as base gossip. Now she asked him in a low voice, “My lord, you are in a dark mood, will you not tell me why?”

Faramir coloured up, and made an aborted motion. His voice was firm, “I will not. It is not fit for you to hear.” He made an effort to smile in his usual manner.

Eowyn was torn between dismay and amusement. She said familiarly, “And who will thou speak to then, beloved? You may tell me as much as seems meet to you, and perhaps I can help, or lighten your thoughts at least.”

Faramir dropped his eyes as he thought deeply and then looking up he smiled at her truly, frown vanishing. “You are right, I will do so.” He spoke with more care than haste as he told her how he had finished unloading the last barrel of ale to come into Rohan and then, as the wagon would take its time to come back, he had hefted it up and put it aside so that the road would remain clear. He hesitated then and spoke no names, but said a captain of the Rohirrim, who he had thought was a friend, had clapped him on the back and made a rude comment about the use of his strength in his marriage to come. “It should not worry me, I know good soldiers may say such things, but he had not seemed so base.”

Eowyn knew of which captain he spoke though he would speak no names, and she too was surprised, for she had known him many years and had had his respect. She frowned over it, and Faramir soothed her, “He will not do so again, he sought to make merry talk but not to wound, I think. He is young, and perhaps has heard too much evil talk.”

Eowyn said then, “But I will not have you mocked.”

Faramir smiled and touched her hand lightly in thanks. He would have liked to have clasped it but if tongues already wagged, he would not do anything that sharp-eyed gossips may talk of. “He spoke only of what use I may put my strength to when we are married. It is your name I worry for, not mine.”

Eowyn sat still for a moment and said, as if puzzling out a great riddle, “And what else did he speak?”

“Why, nothing,” Faramir spoke hastily, but it was true so he added, “truly nothing.”

“Then I believe the blame is mine, lord.” She smiled in mischief, and looked fairer than ever to his eyes, “For I believed you knew about our customs, and it seems you do not.”

Faramir looked on her with surprise, and was also surprised that he seemed to have clasped her hand in both of his despite deciding not to.

“We must be married yonder, as I have said,” she pointed to the East wall, beyond where there was a great house, used now by those who had not yet healed, but wondrous fair with great carved wooden doors and fine paintings and tapestries hung everywhere. “And then you must carry me hither. It is considered a great blessing to make the whole walk with no rest.”

Faramir laughed and tightened his grasp, glad that she was merry again, “Now you mock me, when I go back I must report that I received ill-use indeed in Rohan!”

“No, I do not jest! And so you see, your friend the captain congratulated you in earnest.” She laughed and laughed to see his face.

“Was that what he meant? And what other customs have I been ignorant of?” he exclaimed.

Eowyn smiled and blushed, and said, “Did thou know to buy my bridal wear?”

“But I have seen your dress, it is made already,” Faramir said, and then blushed too as he realised what she meant. “I cannot do such a thing. It is improper!”

Eowyn had not yet stopped laughing as she teased. “Then I will not marry thee, and thou may choose a bride from your own people, and she will be all that is proper.”

“That I cannot do,” he said simply.

She continued as if she had not heard him, although her face had coloured up again, right up to the shell of her ears, “And at the wedding feast we may not eat ourselves. Thou must feed me, and I thee.”

“This is a fair custom, and I would follow it with you until the end of our days.”

And at this, Eowyn turned to him with her eyes so full of light that Faramir wished that they had been alone in the hall, or in the whole wide world, and he might again kiss her as he had done when he had gained her love.

But as they could not, he felt that he must even the score between them a little, or he would be ousted from the field entirely. He leaned forward and murmured, “Eowyn, Eowyn, dear one, I too have failed to tell you of our customs in Gondor. Any bride who marries with us must live alone for three nights in the small building of our first Queen, where yet her spirit haunts those she finds fairer than herself.”

One moment only it took her to realise that he was lying, but that moment of shock was enough recompense to Faramir for her evening’s mirth at his expense. And when she teased him again, it seemed to him that he had already found all the happiness his lonely heart had desired for many long years.


End file.
